Moving to Guatemala from Belgium
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Belgium to Guatemala — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Belgium to Guatemala, you would find that Guatemala is 38.3% cheaper than Belgium overall. A €64,304 salary in Belgium would need to be roughly GTQ377,314 in Guatemala to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Spanish. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Guatemala City averages 77°F vs 57°F in Brussels, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Belgium to Guatemala.
What does your salary buy?
€64,304 → GTQ377,314
To maintain the same standard of living in Guatemala
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 63.4% less
Groceries
pay 2.4% less
Transportation
pay 52.5% less
Housing
pay 34.1% less
Childcare
pay 65.3% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 31.7% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Belgium to Guatemala.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Belgium performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Belgium generally does better on environment, though Guatemala leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
Belgium generally does better on infrastructure, though Guatemala leads in water stress level.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Guatemala generally does better on employment & economy, though Belgium leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Belgium performs better than Guatemala across all family life metrics.
Data: Service Public Fédéral Finances, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brussels | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 45°/34°F (7°/1°C) | 77°/55°F (25°/13°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 63°/47°F (17°/8°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 70°/54°F (21°/13°C) | 76°/60°F (25°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 50°/40°F (10°/4°C) | 74°/58°F (24°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brussels | Guatemala City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/33°F (5.6°/0.7°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.5°C) |
| Feb | 44°/33°F (6.4°/0.6°C) | 77°/55°F (25.2°/12.9°C) |
| Mar | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.9°C) | 80°/57°F (26.6°/14.0°C) |
| Apr | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) | 82°/60°F (27.5°/15.4°C) |
| May | 64°/48°F (17.7°/8.9°C) | 81°/61°F (27.1°/16.2°C) |
| Jun | 68°/53°F (20.0°/11.5°C) | 78°/61°F (25.3°/16.2°C) |
| Jul | 72°/56°F (22.4°/13.6°C) | 76°/60°F (24.5°/15.8°C) |
| Aug | 72°/56°F (22.5°/13.4°C) | 77°/60°F (25.0°/15.8°C) |
| Sep | 66°/51°F (18.7°/10.8°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.8°C) |
| Oct | 58°/46°F (14.4°/7.6°C) | 75°/60°F (24.1°/15.4°C) |
| Nov | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.7°C) | 74°/57°F (23.4°/14.0°C) |
| Dec | 44°/35°F (6.5°/1.9°C) | 74°/56°F (23.4°/13.1°C) |
Data:
Institut Royal Météorologique,
Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología (INSIVUMEH)
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Belgium and Guatemala. To live, work, or study long-term in Guatemala, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Guatemala's immigration authority.
Belgium passport holder visiting Guatemala
Visa Free
Guatemala passport holder visiting Belgium
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Guatemala than Belgium?
Yes — Guatemala is on average about 34% cheaper than Belgium. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Guatemala?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly GTQ94,328 in Guatemala on a €64,304 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, deposits, visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Guatemala?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Guatemala has 3.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Guatemala safe for expats?
Belgium performs better than Guatemala across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Guatemala is 20.0 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.1 in Belgium.
How is healthcare in Guatemala compared to Belgium?
Belgium generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Guatemala leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 12.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Guatemala, compared to 63.9 in Belgium. Guatemala scores 59 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Belgium: 86).
What's the weather like in Guatemala compared to Belgium?
The average high temperature in Guatemala City is 77°F, compared to 57°F in Brussels. Guatemala City receives around 46.7 in of rainfall per year, while Brussels gets 32.3 in.
What language do they speak in Guatemala?
The official language in Guatemala is Spanish. In Belgium, the official languages are Dutch, French and German.
